ROC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROIC %. Medline's annualized return on capital (ROC %) for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 3.95%.
As of today (2026-06-27), Medline's WACC % is 8.62%. Medline's ROC % is 5.32% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Medline earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.
Medline (NAS:MDLN) ROC % Explanation
ROC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROIC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, Medline's WACC % is 8.62%. Medline's ROC % is 5.32% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Medline earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROC % is calculated with only 12 months of data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
Medline ROC % Related Terms
Medline ROC % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Medline's ROC % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Medline (MDLN) has a ROC % of 3.95% as of Mar. 2026. Return on capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period capital. View historical data on Medline and its competitors.
Is Medline's ROC % too high?
Medline's current ROC % is 3.95%. The Medical Devices & Instruments industry median ROC % is 1.26. Medline's value of 3.95% is 213.5% above this industry median. Overall, Medline has a GF Score™ of 16/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Medline's ROC % compare to RMD and WST?
Medline's ROC % of 3.95% can be compared against companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry. The industry median ROC % is 1.26. Medline's value of 3.95% is 213.5% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROC % for a Medical Devices & Instruments company?
The median ROC % among Medical Devices & Instruments companies is 1.26, based on 847 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Medline's current ROC % of 3.95% is 213.5% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROC % mean?
A high ROC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period capital. View historical data on Medline and its competitors. For the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, the median ROC % is 1.26 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Medline's current ROC % is 3.95%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Medline stock overvalued right now?
Medline (MDLN) has a current ROC % of 3.95%. The current ROC % is 3.95% and 213.5% above the Medical Devices & Instruments industry median of 1.26. Medline's overall GF Score™ is 16/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROC % calculated?
ROC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Medline (MDLN), the current ROC % is 3.95% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Medline is the largest provider of medical-surgical products and supply chain solutions in the US. The company generates over 90% of its revenue domestically and serves some of the largest US health systems. Medline offers approximately 190,000 Medline-branded products across more than 250 product families—including front-line care, surgical solutions, and laboratory and diagnostics—as well as roughly 150,000 third-party products sourced from over 1,250 vendors. The company maintains prime vendor relationships with many customers, acting as the primary consolidated logistics partner for their medical-surgical needs. Medline has significant scale, supported by more than 30 manufacturing facilities and a fleet of over 2,000 owned delivery trucks. Medline went public in December 2025.
16GF Score
Get the complete analysis for MDLN
ROC % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
MDLN has been successfully added to your 
